v AN26 aircraft on the military apron of al-Fasher airport, the Darfuri regional capital. Guarded by soldiers and with bombs piled alongside, the plane was painted white and has the initials “UN” stencilled on its upper left wing. Another Sudanese military aircraft was disguised in the same manner. The report said that white Antonovs were used to bombard Darfur villages on at least three occasions in January.
A similar ploy was employed to conceal the identity of three Mi171 military helicopters which were painted white. The report said that from a distance the aircraft could be mistaken for similar helicopters operated by the UN and peacekeepers.
It’d be interesting to know who was responsible for leaking the document. With indications that China, Sudan’s key ally in the UN Security Council, may be getting concerned about the bad publicity coming its way, perhaps things may at last be starting to happen. Too late, of course, but still…
The Times has a hard-hitting editorial:
Sudan has been caught red-handed flying arms and heavy military equipment into Darfur, in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. Even more damningly, the UN has photographic proof that the Sudanese have been trying to conceal this arms lift by painting their planes white and stencilling “UN” on the wings. The aim is clear: to continue the unabated support for Janjawid militias in their campaign of killings and violence in Darfur villages while mendaciously assuring the world that Khartoum is committed to ending the conflict.
Sudan has predictably denied the charges. But its word now carries no weight. This latest deception marks a new low. That the Government should attempt to hijack the humanitarian relief efforts in order covertly to arm the criminal gangs who have brought such devastation to the region is truly despicable. It displays a cynicism about what is going on that belies all Khartoum’s protestations that it exercises little control over the militias. Fellow African nations that have rallied behind Omar al-Bashir’s Government on the ground that it is standing up to Western interference in Africa should look at the evidence of the confidential UN report. And they should ask themselves whether “ethnic cleansing”, officially sanctioned and covertly supported, will lead to greater or lesser respect for their continent.
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